I stood in front of the large mirror, carefully scrutinizing my appearance as I watched the foxian woman behind me fixing up the intricacies of my attire.
It was a quick process, seeing as she was familiar with it already.
"It feels as if it was only yesterday that I was watching you sneak off into the library, barely able to crawl," the lady chuckled to herself. "Now, you stand before me, grown up, and—hopefully—ready to weave through the tanglement of social interactions, as today serves more of a purpose than to just celebrate your seventh year of life."
I gave her a curious look and Esil sighed, the weight of her unspoken thoughts apparent. "What do you mean?"
"You will begin to understand it more the older you get, Young Lord," she began, pausing for a brief second or two, "For royalty, every event is a test. Whether it be of skill, memory, aptitude, or all three. Though you are but a child now, the guests see you as the catalyst of a shared future. As the prince of Verlice, you represent the future and integrity of our kingdom, Sera, and it's something that you will carry with you for the rest of your life."
Esil's words hung in the air. I paused, thinking for a moment.
The thought of high ranking noble officials watching my every move with calculating scrutiny, gauging my every step with the weight of their expectations was unsettling, to say the least.
In my past life, whenever I read manga about stuff like this, I'd always cringe.
Thinking back to the amount of conflict the characters would go through simply because some pretentious nobles had their heads too far up their own asses to realize they were being snotty brought back a wave of emotions.
Now, it seemed that I, too, was to fall victim to this occurrence. How ironic.
"I didn't mean to foster worries within you, forgive me. I'm just… a bit anxious, is all. It's been so long since the last Verlice banquet, I couldn't help myself—your father, His Majesty's, back when I was a newly appointed maid. Oh, by the Great Erus Fauna was he a troublemaker. The first thing he'd done, in addition to being late, was greet the previously-current Lord of House Vedras informally…"
Esil's voice trailed off reminiscently before she caught herself in the second following, a sly smirk curling the edges of her lips.
I had a feeling as to what was about to come…
With the speed of a shadow tiger and the ferocity of a snake, two of her fingers pinched my right cheek.
"Now then, do get along with everyone, my dear prince. Remember to treat everyone equally, so as to maintain not only your reputation and image, but also that of the Verlice kingdom. Don't repeat the same mistakes as His Majesty. You'll do that for me, won't you?"
"Auegh! Leh go ofh me…!"
I struggled to fight against the pinch Esil firmly had me in, and eventually, I succumbed, deciding to throw up the white flag.
"Yesh, Ma'am. I'wll do my besh, promish!" I said as best as I could, saluting dramatically.
"There. That wasn't hard now, was it?"
I was soon relieved of the pain and Esil's hands rested softly on my shoulders as I rubbed my cheek. She met my eyes with a deep, thoughtful expression.
"Forgive me, again, for making you worry, Young Lord. I didn't mean to. Try not to think too much about what I've said. The most important thing for you right now is to enjoy yourself. Have fun. Leave all of the worrying and conversation to the adults. Three of the Four Governing Estates of Verlice will be in attendance, so do be sure to keep a careful eye for them. Do you remember what I told you about each family, or shall I remind you again?"
"No, no, I'm fine, Esil, I promise! I can do it, don't worry. As long as you're here, I can manage… I think," I shrugged.
Esil was silent and contemplative, but otherwise didn't respond. Soon after, a terse knock on the open door broke her spell of contemplation. "Her Majesty is summoning you, Young Lord."
I turned my attention to the maid, acknowledging her with a nod. "Okay, be right there."
"Thank you for telling us, Mauriel. I'll escort him," Esil said.
Mauriel made a small head gesture before spinning on her heel, quietly disappearing from the door frame, and inviting our own silent march through the palace corridors. Each footfall seemed to increase the burden on expectations placed upon me.
The halls of the palace felt grander today, the towering columns and delicate murals imposing in their quiet magnificence. Suddenly, I was more aware of the distance between the room quarters and the Royal Ballroom. Esil followed beside me, her presence reassuring, and her usual light-footedness tempered by the significance of the occasion.
We soon reached the area that led to the entrance ballroom, and as we neared, the soft murmurs of voices drifted through the hall. I paused just in front of the massive double doors that loomed ahead, oppressive and ornate, their gilded surfaces shining in the light.
This is it… Everything boils down to this.
I swallowed the growing knot in my throat, recalling Esil's words.
This was my first official birthday party, though, it wasn't your typical one. The guests would not only be here to celebrate, they would also gauge me. Judge me. Decide what type of leader I'd become—what type of person I was, despite my young age.
So many different people from so many different nations…
A part of me wished I had just made a request for a smaller party, while another one made a mental note of that for next time.
The final part told me that I likely wouldn't've had much of a choice.
"Esil…"
I said quietly, unsure of what I even wanted to ask.
She raised an eyebrow at me before moving behind me, urging me forward gently.
"You'll do just fine, Young Lord. Today belongs to you. Carry yourself with the grace befitting of a prince, and go forth."
Her words were simple, but I nodded, though the moment still pressed on me. A mechanical click ensued, and suddenly, the massive doors opened.
A golden light creaked through, parting to reveal the Royal Ballroom and the hundreds of eyes that flickered to me in that moment; observant, curious, searching.
The sudden attention hitched my breath.
My pulse quickened and I fought the urge to fidget.
But gently, I felt a push, and I took an involuntary step forward, quickly catching myself in the motion and using it as momentum to begin my stride.
I straightened my posture, mindful of the eyes watching me, and the crowd seemed to part like the sea as I steadily approached, a pathway of shimmering gowns and suits.
There were humans varying in shapes and sizes, vaellans, among which were dominantly foxian women and men, but occasionally I spotted a pair of bunny ears, and a select handful of elves.
With each step I took, the weight of their stares grew heavier, and I began to focus on other things to help ease the rapid pacing of my thoughts. The pretty, golden lights emanating from the multitude of chandeliers hanging from the ceilings, the pastel contrast between the soft moonlight and darkness of the night that came through the large walls of glass-like material at the farthest ends of the ballroom.
It felt like I had been on an eternal runway until I eventually reached the end, coming to a stop at the forefront of the crowd, before a flight of steps. There, I met the gaze of Mother, who was looking entirely different than I'd been accustomed to.
She wore a luxurious, crimson-red thigh slit dress, embedded with gold accents and jewels that would've made her noticeable from miles away, and her hair was styled in a loose ponytail kept together by an aureate ornament fit with ruby red stones.
Finally, I took note of the tiara perfectly set on her head as she peered at me from a flight of steps above, her aureate eyes matching the lustrous glow of the velvet red carpet laid at her feet.
Despite her flashy appearance, however, someone else had caught my attention.
In his ornate, silver and dark purple throne with elaborate metalwork, on a higher flight of steps than Mother, was a man in his late-mid thirties, presumably.
He sat comfortably, his aged amethyst eyes emboldened with a sense of regal authority, compassion, familiarity, and finally, something that seemed like melancholy, as he regarded me.
"Father…"
The words escaped my lips breathlessly. It'd been ages since the last time I'd last seen him…
Then, he was moving, emerging from his seat and straightening into an imposing statue of command as he began his descent.
His gaze swept over the room with the precision of a spotlight, seeming to lighten up wherever he lingered on—which just so happened to be me at the time—rooting me in place. But it wasn't his form, physique, or composed expression that demanded attention.
No, it was the way he carried himself. It was in a way that made it seem as if his existence was a blessing to the world; unspoken, but widely regarded to be true.
He soon reached the landing, positioning himself near mother, but a shoulder's distance ahead, giving a look that was silent to everyone else, but might as well have been a full-blown conversation to me.
I followed his commands, climbing the stairs hurriedly and slowing down when I was aware of the shuffling and whispers in the crowd.
Finally, I stood at the forefront of them, turning to face the endless crowd of souls.
"Dear, guests, friends, and confidants of Verlice, I welcome you on this day of celebration," he began, his baritone voice resonant and rich amongst the crowd of murmurs, silencing them.
"Today we gather not just to commemorate a passage of time, but to honor a moment that holds significance beyond the years. It is with great pleasure that I announce the seventh birthday of my only son: Prince Seraphis Eltath Verlice."
Cheers and applause surged within the room abruptly. I caught myself fidgeting, but stopped when I unknowingly settled on Esil's amber eyes, whom I found standing near the double doors with a satisfied smile on her face, mouthing the words "Happy birthday".
Father's words hung in the atmosphere, unchallenged, before the applause began to settle.
"Seraphis embodies the spirit of our kingdom. Ever-growing, and full of potential. Though he is young now, still with much to learn and much to experience, I see in him the same spark that has guided us waywards through the ages. A spark that will one day shine as a beacon of hope that leads us forward, no matter the circumstances we may find ourselves in. Today, we celebrate not only his birthday, but also his potential—his future—one that we all share together."
His hands softly settled on my shoulders as he spoke the next few words.
"As he grows, he will be tested, as all of us have been. But I have no doubt my son will rise to meet those challenges with the strength and grace becoming of Verlice's future king. And to all who stand with us today—your presence is a testament to the unity and strength of our realm. This kingdom, its people, and its future, are shaped by the bonds we share, thread like needles; with scrutiny, precision, and care, yet it is these very bonds that empower and embolden us. It will not be an easy journey for any of us, I cannot promise that. What I can promise is that moments like this are what bring us together. And for that, I say we raise our glasses and share a toast. Eat, drink, and be merry. For prosperity, and for unity across all nations."
Another roar of applause, cheers, and the clinking of glass ensued.
And with that, the party commenced.